Experiential Learning
Expanding knowledge through research, field trips, and guest artists
In the Heights. Music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Allegría Hudes. Spring 2016.
With its musical roots in hip-hop and salsa, In the Heights took audiences by storm when it hit Broadway in 2008. It ultimately won the Tony for Best Musical, catapulting its composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, to fame. In the Heights tells the story of residents in Washington Heights, a neighbourhood in Upper Manhattan, as they struggle to make lives for themselves despite poverty, oppression, and gentrification. It’s a beautiful celebration of family, love, and the resilience of the human spirit. For us to truly know the story, we took a trip to Washington Heights and the Dominican Cultural Centre, hosted a panel of local Latinx community leaders, and had a masterclass on the history of graffiti art.
Set and Lighting Design by Charles P. Raffetto. Costume Design by Ashley Tyler. Choreography by Debra D. Vega. Music Direction by Joshua Harper. Photo Credit: Joanna Chattman.
Fiddler on the Roof. Book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. Spring 2012.
In the little Russian village of Anatevka in 1905, Tevye, a poor dairyman, tries to instill in his five daughters the traditions of his tight-knit Jewish community. Of course they want to change the traditions— most notably by marrying men they love instead of those chosen for them by Yente the matchmaker. Not only does the play bring to life the beautiful folk stories of Shalom Alecheim, it deals with the wide-spread anti-Semitism in Russia at the time and the psychological and physical violence inflicted on Jewish villagers. During the rehearsal process, cast and crew took a trip to the Yiddish Book Museum on the Hampshire College campus to learn more about the Yiddish language, and the Jewish culture and customs of Eastern Europe.
Set and Lighting Design by Charles P. Raffetto. Costume Design by Ilene Goldstein. Choreography by Debra D. Vega. Music Direction by Cathy Kay. Photo Credit: Janine Norton.
The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni. Fall 2013.
The story revolves around Truffaldino, a witty and greedy servant, who tries to make an extra buck serving two masters at once. Full of mistaken identities, miscommunications and deception, The Servant of Two Masters makes you laugh until it hurts. The company took part in a commedia dell’arte masterclass by local theatre-maker, professor, and commedia expert, Brianna Sloane, to better understand how to bring their roles to life.
Set and Lighting Design by Charles P. Raffetto. Costume Design by Ilene Goldstein. Photo Credit: Janine Norton.